Ruthless
by SunsetGardens
Summary: Harry is sent to the small town of Bon Temps, Louisiana in an attempt to recruit vampires to fight in the upending war. His mission? To find the Head Sheriff Area 5.
1. Flight

**Ruthless**

A _True Blood/Harry Potter Crossover_

** Pairings: **Eric/Harry, Ron/Hermione, Bill/Sookie

**Note:** Now I realize these two fictitious stories are from two different times, but since this is fanfiction and AU, I hope no one really minds that. Also, I do not own Harry Potter or True Blood. They were created by J.k Rowling and Charlaine Harris. I own nothing.

**Chapter One: Flight **

Harry never thought that one day he'd be boarding a national airline to America. Nor did he think he'd be doing so alone. Without the presence of his two closest friends, Harry felt a tight knot in his chest, one he couldn't seem to quite rid himself of. Word had spread through the wizarding world that the vampires had 'come out of their coffins' due to he invention of 'True Blood', a Japanese blood drink used to appease a vampires thirst. Because of this, vampires were apparently considered harmless.

Now Harry wasn't one to judge based on breed. Hell, he'd befriended a half giant, a centaur and a werewolf. No, it was not _what _they were that unnerved him. It was what they were capable of. Sure, as a wizard he felt he could hold his own against them, but as for the muggles they presented themselves to? Helpless prey just waiting to be drained. Needless to say, none of the ministry officials had been too happy about the situation. As predicted, many muggles flipped about the idea of vampires existing, while others seemed to embrace it. Since then, even with the war going on, people in his world had been debating: _("Should we let ourselves be known as well?")_ Many were tired of hiding, but others seemed perfectly content on it.

_("It protects us and our way of life. Besides, haven't you heard the stories? Muggles have been draining vampires of their blood. Stupid people, the bloody stuffs dangerous, they're all gonna get themselves killed!_") Harry himself wasn't so certain which side he was on. He didn't like the idea of walking alone after dark, constantly on edge of a sudden vampire attack.

Although after years of being told to look over his shoulder for some psycho serial killer out to get him, being paranoid, for him, wasn't anything to be concerned about. Harry shifted slightly in his seat. The plane would be taking off in just a few minutes. He was tempted to contact Ron and Hermione through his shard mirror. Both had been sent on separate missions. Ron had been given direction to a town in California, while Hermione was located to Washington. It may have eased his anxiety to hear from either of them. However, it, along with his other possessions, were locked safely under the plane. Furthermore, he was certain he'd get plenty of stares from passengers should they find him whispering to a shard of a broken glass mirror.

He'd never flown on anything besides his broom, and perhaps Buckbeak, Hagrid's Hippogriff, and quite frankly, he was scared. Planes crashed. They ran out of fuel over oceans, drop into the sea and are never seen again. As a wizard, he himself quite possibly would survive such a crash. Nonetheless, it wasn't something he'd even want to have to think about. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath as the announcer gave instruction of their take off. And then, the plane was moving, further and further until it gave a lurch, and the planes wheels retracted, sending them into flight.

**xxxxx**

Louisiana was much different from his hometown. Instead of the grassy hills and rivers he'd been used to seeing, there were buildings and...well more buildings. Harry dragged his suitcase effortlessly across the gravel sidewalk, searching now for the Portkey that had been planted specifically for him, thanks to the help of Arthur Weasley. It would safely transport him to Bon Temps, approximately a few meters from the house he'd purchased. Arthur and Molly had suggested he use magic as little as possible, despite the fact that he was now eighteen years old and very much able to use without breaking the law, the idea was to not attract too much attention to himself.

Not with the world as it was. Not now that Voldemort himself had taken over the wizarding world, slowly expanding toward the states. It was why he'd been sent here in the first place.

Gather members onto their side, to defend against Lord Voldemort, who'd already succeeded in getting the giants on his side, as well as many other creatures, including vampires. Although some magical creatures, such as goblins preferred to stay out of what they called "wizarding affairs", He needed to inform the Head Sheriff in Bon Temps about what may lay ahead for the vampires who refuse to join either side.

He wondered briefly what this vampire sheriff would be like. He hoped, cooperative in terms of at least listening to what he'd have to say. What he wanted most at this very moment was to just find this Portkey, find the sheriff, tell him about the plan and whether or not he succeeded, get back to England. Perhaps if his mission wasn't successful, Hermione or Ron's might be. However, everyone had informed him about not being too hasty. It would look rather strange, to buy a house for a matter of days before leaving. But making a home in a place so unfamiliar? It wasn't something he was too keen on doing.

_Where the hell is it_?

His emerald eyes scanned the area. Nothing but buildings and roadways. He'd only been here several minutes and he was already frustrated. The sky itself was an orangish-red, marking the commencement of the setting sun.

He took his wand out of his back pocket, making sure to look both ways before doing so of course before placing it in his palm so it lay flat. he leaned down and whispered;

_"Point me."_

The wand spun around in his hand, and pointed North. So it was up ahead. He walked up a ways until he came across an empty bottle of soda. His eyes broadened a bit. Was this it? He reached down, grasping hold of the bottle. Immediately, he felt himself being tugged, as though a fishing rod had snagged on his navel and was sweeping him off his feet. He felt himself swirling, unseeing in a vortex of sorts before he felt himself hit the hard, dirt ground outside an ancient looking house. His suitcase lay forgotten a few feet in front of him.

Feeling pain on his back he'd unfortunately landed on, Harry slowly stood to his feet, straightening up. The house was made of brick, a dark red color that eerily enough, reminded him of blood. The house itself had clearly been around for many generations. Walking toward the house, Harry picked his suitcase off from the ground, and made his way up the creaky steps. Underneath a new outdoor mat (likely put there as a welcome), was a gold key.

He opened the door of his new home and stepped inside. It was badly in need of repairs. The house had no working lights, or electricity obviously, and the place itself was dusty. It wouldn't take as long if he simply used his wand, however, he was limited. He decided he'd use a spell to clean up all the dust, but everything else, he'd simply have to do the muggle way. Not something he was really against. For years he'd been a self-supposed muggle, doing housework chores for the Dursley's. It wasn't too much different now.

He carried his suitcase up the steps and into the first room he'd come across, which luckily had been the master bedroom. Not really feeling up to unpacking at the moment, Harry opened the suitcase, taking out a dark blue sleeping bag before pointing his wand at the room.

_"Tergeo."_

it was as if the dust had suddenly vanished into the floors. Content with his work, Harry lay the sleeping back in the middle of the floor, before placing the suitcase in the closet, closing it behind him. Suddenly feeling very awake, he decided to explore the town. Despite it being winter, Bon Temps was a rather warm town. In England, he wouldn't have been capable of wearing what he was now. A light, blue jacket with a gray t-shirt and blue jeans. It was warm enough in fact, for him to remove his jacket, and place it back in the closet along with the suitcase. He smiled to himself, and placed his wand safely in his back pocket, hidden from view.

He decided he'd head out to find someplace to eat. He had found himself to be rather famished now. As if on cue, his stomach growled. Harry headed down the steps once more, out of the house, and down the darkening road.

**xxxxx**

"Hello Sir, and how may I help you tonight?" Sookie smiled pleasantly at the red haired man sitting in front of her. The man smiled back and for once, Sookie thought that perhaps she wouldn't have to hear another sick-minded man thinking perverse thoughts...

_Damn, I'd like to take you back to my place, what do you say baby? Want to be a little dirty for me? _

Sookie's eyes widened and she forced herself not to glare daggers. Again with this. It was times like these she really despised being able to read minds. Not that she liked it anyhow, but it was a convenience when it needed to be. Then again, half the time it was a pain in her ass.

"What would you like, sir?" she said, though this time her tone hinted at annoyance, which apparently, the dirty old man caught. "What's your problem?" he leered. "Nothing." she said, and gave another, this time, half-hearted smile.

"Order?" She _really_ didn't want to be around him anymore.

_Damn, she's weird, but I'd still have her all night_..."

Sookie clenched her teeth, disgust rising inside her. "I'll have the steak and a beer, hold the ice." Sookie nodded, scribbling it down and quickly turned away, heading toward the counter. "Lafayette, another order." she placed it on the order wheel above her. She must have looked rather miffed because her friend raised a brow.

"Another nasty bitch thinkin' bout you?" Sookie gave a curt nod before turning her head toward the next available table. As if that alone had done it, a boy entered into the restaurant, wearing a gray top and blue jeans. He was looking quite lost, as though he were very new to the town. And perhaps he was as she'd never seen him before in her life. She zeroed in on him. She did dislike prying into peoples minds, but she was undeniably curious about this one. He seemed innocent enough, but after the murderer in Bon Temps, and the freaky 'god is coming' crap that happened a while back, she wasn't sure she wanted to take any chances.

Her eyes locked on the target, she listened intently.

"_…Merlottes huh? It's really rather different here. Everything so ancient looking. Then again, Hogwarts is ancient too…_"

She wrinkled her brow in confusion. Hogwarts? She'd never heard of it. But the boys inner thoughts were that of a British accent. So this one was from across the pond. How interesting.

"…_I wonder if they have anything good to eat here…shame it's a muggle town, I'd order butterbeer otherwise…_"

Muggle? Butterbeer? His thoughts just kept getting stranger and stranger. Still, she listened in. However, suddenly the boy frowned. His eyes began searching rapidly around the diner until they landed right on Sookie, who's heart gave a leap. And then, to her shock, the thoughts stopped. The boy stood their at the front, staring at her as though deciding whether or not to confront her. In the end, he turned away, and took a seat in the once empty spot. Sookie's eyes wandered toward the boy yet again, and attempted to listen in on his thoughts, wondering with immense interest, what he might be thinking now.

She zeroed in on him, and concentrated…nothing. She couldn't hear anything. It was as if he had no thoughts. But she'd heard them, plain as day a moment ago. She couldn't access his mind. Her mouth dropped slightly, perplexed by such a situation. No one could ever block her telepathy apart from vampires, and other supernatural creatures. But this boy she could read a moment ago, and not now. As if he'd blocked her from his mind! The boy hadn't been looking at her luckily. Instead, he was staring out of the polished glass window, the night sky alighting with the rising moon.

Sookie made her way over to the boy, giving the back of his head a warm smile. "Hey there." shocking green eyes locked on hers. They seemed to be filled with curiosity and suspicion. However, the boy smiled back a little. "Hello."

"You must be new here, I've never seen you around." The boy nodded. "Yes, I've only just arrived actually." Sookie raised her brows. "That right? Where'd you come from? Judging from your accent, I'd say England, but I didn't want to be wrong- "No you're right." He interrupted politely.

"And you chose a small town like _this_ to move to?" Sookie grinned. "No offense, but given the chance I'd move out of this rickety old place." the boy gave her an amused grin. "Yes well, I kind of figured this might be a quiet town. I do like the quiet." Sookie nodded. "Oh me too…trust me." She laughed lightly. "Look at me, chatting your ear off! How may I help you tonight?"

"Do you have fish and chips?" Sookie tilted her head in question. "Fish and chips?" The boy flushed a bit. "Oh! Well in America, you'd call it…Fish and Fries?" Sookie's confusion was replaced with a cheerful smile. "Oh, well yes we do!" She wrote down the order. "We'll have your order in a few minutes." She turned to walk off but stopped in her tracks, looking back. "I'm Sookie by the way. Sookie Stackhouse." The boy nodded. "I'm Harry P-_er_-Black. Harry Black."

"Nice to meet you then Harry Black. And welcome to Bon Temps!" with that, she turned on her heel, and headed toward the front counter. She hadn't forgotten what had happened of course. She still wondered, with an unwavering interest, why she suddenly could no longer hear his mind.

**xxxxx**

**Authors Note:** That's all for chapter one. I will be updating very soon of course. Perhaps even tomorrow. I hope you all liked it! And yes, Eric will be appearing very soon as well.


	2. Botched Telepathy

**A/N: **So my update took a bit longer than I'd originally planned, but that was due to a combination of laziness, and being unable to update due to computer trouble. Sooo, I had to write it all out on paper, then type it up today. I tried to make it longer than the last one, but I believe I failed. x.x

Chapter Two: Botched Telepathy

**xxx**

He had taken care to find a nearby restaurant before the sun had fully enclosed itself from the sky. Harry's eyes met the glowing words at the top: Merlottes. He walked through the doors, glancing around with mild interest. It looked nothing like the ones he'd been used to of course But the food did have an inviting smell.

"_…Merlottes huh? It's really rather different here. Everything so ancient looking. Then again, Hogwarts is ancient too…_"

At that moment, Harry experienced a feeling of intrusion. He couldn't really explain it although it felt strangely as though someone were performing Legilimency on him. But that was impossible wasn't it? Doing his best to ignore this odd feeling poking at his mind, Harry made to turn toward an empty booth.

"…_I wonder if they have anything good to eat here…shame it's a muggle town, I'd order butterbeer otherwise…_"

There it was again. The inexplicable feeling that _someone _was invading his private thoughts. No someone-or something, was definitely penetrating his mind. A minor feeling of horror crossed him at the thought that it may very well be Voldemort attempting to locate him. However, he inwardly shook his head at this. It didn't have the immense power that the Dark Lord held. His eyes scanned the restaurant hastily, determined to pick out the culprit.

Emerald hues landed on a woman with blonde hair, looking directly at him as though intent on keeping contact. Was she the one? Their eyes met, and the feeling only grew stronger. Immediately, he locked down his emotions as best as he could, draining his mind of his fears, memories, just focused on darkness. And then, the intrusion had vanished. The woman looked absolutely perplexed and he knew it had been her. But what did she want with him?

How was she able to read his thoughts? What exactly was she? These thoughts, along with the initial decision to leave and go back to his house in the woods crossed his mind. However, he decided on the latter; to stay and get something to eat. Harry took a seat in the only available booth, and turned opposite from everyone else, glancing intently out the window. He was never really good with Occlumency so it had been a bit difficult to block her out, and felt she may be able to penetrate his thoughts again if he failed to be careful.

_"Hey there."_ Harry turned his attention toward the voice. The blonde woman from before gave him a warm smile. "Hello." he replied, getting the same intrusion he'd felt not a moment ago. This time stronger still, and did his best to keep his mind clear of virtually all thought.

_"You must be new here, I've never seen you around." _Harry nodded. "Yes, I've only just arrived actually." The woman raised her brows.

_"That right? Where'd you come from? Judging from your accent, I'd say England, but I didn't want to be wrong-"_

"No you're right." He cut in.

"_And you chose a small town like __**this**__ to move to?"_ The woman gave him a gap toothed grin.

_"No offense, but given the chance I'd move out of this rickety old place."_

Harry's smile broadened.

_"Yes well, I kind of figured this might be a quiet town. I do like the quiet." "Oh me too…trust me." _She laughed lightly. _"Look at me, chatting your ear off! How may I help you tonight?"_

_"Do you have fish and chips?"_ The woman tilted her head in question_. "Fish and chips?" _

_Forgot_. Harry flushed a bit. "Oh! Well in America, you'd call it…Fish and Fries?" The woman's confusion was replaced with a cheerful smile.

_"Oh, well yes we do!" _Harry watched as she wrote down his order_. _

_"We'll have your order in a few minutes." _

She turned to walk off but stopped in her tracks, looking back_. _

_"I'm Sookie by the way. Sookie Stackhouse."_ Harry gave a nod.

"I'm Harry P-_er_-Black. Harry Black."

It struck him as unwise to give out his true name. he wouldn't want word to travel that a "Harry Potter" had moved to Louisiana. With vampires out now even in the presence of muggles, Merlin only knew how quick it would be until one of Voldemort's minions caught word of him.

_"Nice to meet you then Harry Black. And welcome to Bon Temps!" _with that, Sookie turned on her heel, and headed toward the front counter.

**xxx**

The food had been wonderful, and more than enough to fill him up for the night. He'd left a 'five dollar' tip on the table before departing. American money had confused him at first, but eventually, he'd gotten used to it. Just before he'd truly begun to trek down the road, a BMW pulled up beside him.

"Hey Harry!" Harry turned his attention toward the voice.

"Sookie?"

In the car beside her was a man even paler than he, penetrating eyes and black hair. He was staring intensely at him, as though analyzing who he was. "Do you want a ride? It's a bit-_dark_ out here." He knew what she meant.

"Well, my house is only a few blocks down…"

He wasn't afraid of attack, but apparently, Sookie took over that fear for him.

"All the more reason to accept the ride."

Sookie's tone was undeniably persistent and he wondered for a moment if it was because of his young appearance that made her worry. Harry looked down toward the direction of his house, then back at them. He still held a mild suspicion about her, for good reason, but at the same time, and for some odd reason, he felt for the most part, she was trustworthy.

"Alright then. Thank you."

He opened the back door and got in, closing it behind him. Strapping on his seatbelt, he leaned back in the seat, suddenly feeling rather awkward.

"Bill, Harry here moved from England to Bon Temps today, isn't that amazing? Someone from over the pond?"

Sookie looked back at him and smiled. Harry gave a kind one in return as the car begun to drive off again. "Yeah this place is fine, as far as quiet goes, except-"

Sookie cut off then and Harry felt a sudden urge to hear what she meant to say next. "Except what?"

"Harry, I don't want to scare you, I mean you look so young-"

A sudden bout of annoyance crossed him.

-do you think your parents would appreciate me telling you-"

"My parents are dead." He cut off, feeling a twinge of regret at the tone of his words. Sookie's eyes broadened. "They're dead?" Her eyes glossed over with a familiar look of desolation he'd gotten many times from others. "Harry, I'm sorry-"

"Don't apologize, I was a baby-I never knew them." Her eyes displayed a sense of, not pity, but sorrow and understanding he'd never seen before. "Harry-"

"This is my home." Harry said, stopping her words. "Thank you for offering me a ride Sookie, and thank you as well Bill." Harry unbuckled his belt as the car slowed to a stop. Before he'd gotten the chance to fully step out, Sookie spoke up yet again. "How'd you like to came for breakfast at my place tomorrow?" The look on Harry's face was that of shock. "You sure it'll be okay?"

"Of course silly, I offered didn't I?" She grinned, and Harry, despite himself felt his spirits raise a bit. "Sure! Definitely."

"Great, my house is just a mile or so down the road, white two story house with blue shutters you can't miss it, and bring your appetite now!" With that, Bill and Sookie drove off, leaving Harry with his thoughts, mostly about his new ford sort of friendship with Sookie Stackhouse. She seemed nice enough, and virtually harmless but was she _truly _someone to trust?

**xxx**

"Sookie are you out of your mind? You can just offer a complete stranger over to your house!" Sookie scoffed. "I also shouldn't run off chasing drainers to save vampires that may or may not kill me, but apparently that worked out alright."

"Well, I was the exception."

"Well then, maybe Harry will be too."

Bill held frustration in his eyes. "What are you thinking?" Bill sighed. "What if he's part of the Fellowship?" Sookie raised her brows. "You think he's working for them? He came from England!"

"So he says. The boy could have been acting."

"No chance, I read his mind. It was British too."

"I still don't trust him." Sookie found herself becoming a bit annoyed. "Well them, what do you propose we do?" Bill looked back at her. "We go inform Eric of our-new arrival."

**xxx**

Fangtasia was a place solely for vampires. Of course, some humans, better known as "fang-bangers" visit the vampire bar in order to live out their most deadly fantasies. Sookie was no fan of the place herself, but her safety was pretty much guaranteed with the sheriffs interest in her. They stopped at the front gate where a tall blonde woman stood, looking down at her nails. "ID." she looked up then and a look of surprised crossed her face.

"Sookie, Bill! So nice to see you two again." it was Pam, who greeted them as though they were old friends. And in a way, she supposed they ere. "Nice to see you too Pam." Sookie replied politely. "Come to see Eric?" She asked.

"We have some news for him." Bill spoke up. "Well, he's in there. Looking deader than usual. If that's possible."

And there he was, sitting in his usual spot as though he were king. Handsome and alluring, but allusive and very clearly, bored. Sookie and Bill walked up, Sookie making it first. Eric gave a coy smile.

"Ah Sookie, you've returned. And you brought William, how--nice." Bill, who normally would have remarked, instead chose to ignore him, given his thoughts at present.

"Eric, we have-" Sookie gave him a look. "Well-_I_ have some concerns regarding a new neighbor in Bon Temps."

The sheriff leaned back in his chair. "Do you now? Please, take a seat." Bill and Sookie took opposite sides of the sheriff. The two vampires locked eyes. "And what are your-concerns exactly?" "I think he may work undercover for the Fellowship of the Sun." Eric looked a bit more interested at these words. "And what makes him so special that you'd believe this?"

"I can't imagine a foreigner simply deciding to home here of all places. Hell, most people here grew up in Bon Temps, never really had a stranger unless they'd brought trouble along, and now after all these events, he suddenly shows? I know it could be a coincidence but-I smelled something about him."

Sookie looked at Bill now. "What was it?" he glanced her way.

"Power." His eyes moved back to Eric.

"An inexplicable power I can't seem to pick out." A thought crossed her mind. "now that I think0i couldn't read his mind." Eric's attention snapped toward her. "You couldn't?"

"Yeah-well at first I could, but that's how I knew he was British, but then, he looked at me, like he knew I was in his mind-then, I couldn't hear him anymore."

Bill looked both surprised and annoyed. Likely at the fact that she hadn't informed him of this botched telepathy incident "What was he thinking?" Eric urged.

"Well-It certainly wasn't anything threatening. Something about…butterscotch or whatever, and, I think-muggles?"

both the men looked particularly puzzled. "bring him to me." Sookie's eyes widened. "Tomorrow night. I want to meet this possible fellowship follower" Sookie sat upright in her seat. "Eric, you can't be serious! Okay, maybe his timing was a bit off, but that doesn't make him a bad person and I really don't believe he is."

"Well, Sookie, most unfortunately that is for me to decide." Eric looked at her and she stared back, eyes slightly narrowed. "There's nothing wrong with him."

"We will see. Now if you'll both excuse me…" With that, Eric stood up from his chair and headed through to the backroom, marking the end of their conversation.

**xxx**

"Ron? Hermione?"

Harry peered into the shard of what remained of his godfathers two-way mirror. He remembered vividly in his anger, he'd shattered the mirror, around two and a half years previous. The shard stayed silent. It depressed him a little, not being in contact with them.

He would have been glad just to hear one of their voices. It wasn't as though he hadn't seen them in weeks, in fact they'd only been apart for a few days prior to him leaving. Still, with the two of them miles from him, and magical means having been constricted, it made things all the more difficult. Especially without Hermione's wisdom or Ron's humor that calmed him. Sighing, he stared hopelessly at the shard before putting it away once more. He wrapped himself into the sleeping bag, tossing and turning until he'd fallen into a dreamless slumber.


	3. Eric

**A/N:** Oh wow, okay so I haven't updated in a while and I'm very sorry for that. I was on an unexpected hiatus, so I had to update on scratch paper. I've finally finished writing it out though and I do believe it's considerably longer than the last two have been. I think I like this chapter and I hope you all enjoy it too. I'm working on the fourth chapter as well it should be up soon as well. :]

Chapter 3-Eric

**xxx**

Harry awoke with his mind in a twist. The previous nights events left him with a sense of wonder. Had it all really happened? Reaching out for his glasses and placing them over his eyes, his blurry vision cleared as did his thoughts. So he was in Bon Temps, Louisiana. He'd met a strange, but friendly woman named Sookie Stackhouse who'd-Harry's eyes broadened. _Invited him to breakfast._ Harry grasped for his watch and looking at the time; 8:45am. He hopped up from his spot on the ground, folded the sleeping bag up and tossed it in the closet. He'd need to start furnishing and getting lights-and water. Crap. Of course, he'd been all too set on moving in right away, the people hadn't gotten the chance to update, which meant no absolute necessities were at hand. Normally, they wouldn't have sold a house to someone without it having lighting and water, however, he'd made it very clear that it wouldn't be a problem for him to do it himself once he'd moved in. How was he supposed to shower?

_Maybe Sookie will let me…_

He really didn't want to even have to ask. And besides, he never got her number. And now, that he thought on it, he wasn't too certain on where she lived either. Perhaps he could ask someone. The town wasn't too big, he wouldn't be surprised if the first person he asked knew Sookie. Gathering up a fresh pair of clothes and bathroom essentials, he placed them in a bag, before heading out, clad in pajamas. The mornings suns rays were bright, and he had to squint his eyes behind the glasses to see properly.

He'd been walking down the road for several minutes before beginning to feel even more ridiculous than he had even _thinking _about doing this. As he began to ponder on whether or not to turn back for home, a plus pickup was making its way by.

"Hey!" he called out, waving the truck down. The vehicle slowed down beside him.

"Can I help you?" It was a man with short blonde hair and curious eyes.

"Yes, I was wondering-" Harry began, but found himself cut off.

"Hey, are you British or something?" Harry gave a small sigh. "Yes, I am. I-"

"When did you get here?" The man questioned with considerable interest.

"Last night, but-"

"Man, never had a British dude here before."

Harry flushed. "Yes-well I-" He raised his voice a bit, apparently unnoticed by this man.

"Well that's-"

"Do you know where Sookie Stackhouse lives?" Harry blurted out.

The man narrowed his eye, unnerving him a bit. "Why?"

"She invited me over and-"

"What's in the bag?" The boy pointed out.

"Well-" he didn't really feel like explaining the situation. However… "I just moved in, and I don't have water in my house so I was wondering if Sookie would have perhaps allowed me-" he didn't finish his sentences, although he was rather sure the man understood.

"Well, I'm not sure if I could tell you myself, but I have a cell. If she knows you, I'll take you there myself. By the way, I'm her older brother, Jason Stackhouse."

"Oh her brother? It's nice to meet you, I never introduced myself either. I'm Harry Black."

"Nice to meet you too, Harry." he said, although it was in side comment as he had already begun punching in the numbers on his cell phone. "Hello Sook? Yeah it's Jason. Say theirs this kid who says he knows you? Harry Black?" There was a pause. "Oh you _do _know him?" Another short pause. "Yeah, I found him walking down the road looking lost. Say, he says his home doesn't have running water. Wants to know if he could freshen up at your place?" pause. "Alright then, I'll swing on by in a few." He hung up. "Get in Harry, I'll drop you off."

**xxx**

"Harry, nice to see you again!" Sookie gave him a bright smile. "Thanks for dropping him off Jason. Harry, the bathroom is upstairs to your left. I'm almost done with breakfast, so hurry if you want it hot!"

Harry gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you Sookie..." It took him a little over fifteen minutes or so to come back downstairs, his hair still a tad damp, but no longer dripping. A warm plate of bacon, eggs and pancakes had been placed in front of him. Looking at the glass full of orange content, he was almost inclined to believe it was pumpkin juice. However, if the smell hadn't been enough, the taste only confirmed it to be orange juice. "Thanks for breakfast." he said.

"Oh, it was no trouble at all." He hadn't experienced a proper home cooked meal since his last stay with the Weasleys. Sookie's hospitality improved his mood greatly and he found himself becoming quite comfortable in this new environment. However, there was something in Sookie's expression that struck curiosity within him, which in turn, reminded him of her unsaid words the previous night.

"Sookie?"

Bright blue eyes gazed up at him. "Hm?"

"What was it you didn't want to tell me? Last night I mean." Sookie's fork clattered onto her plate. "Oh." She seemed to hesitate for a moment before speaking. "It was a few months back, but there was-something strange going on here in Bon Temps." She began. "A woman named Maryann wanted to sacrifice my good friend Sam Merlotte, owner of the restaurant we met at, to her demon god." Sookie paused. "Are you sure you-" Harry gave a firm nod. "Well, she took over the entire town. Everyone, including my best friend Tara Thornton, was under some kind of demonic spell. They almost destroyed the whole town. And this house, my grandmothers, Maryann used as a base." Harry leaned in a bit. "She was eventually destroyed. And, before her, a man everyone knew as Renee turned out to be the one murdering everyone who happened to be romantically involved with vampires." she looked down at her plate. "He came after me and-I killed him." Harry could see her determinedly avoiding his eye. "Not so quiet a town as you might have though huh?"

This information, however shocking it may have been, didn't actually frighten him. He'd never been possessed by a demon per se, but in a way, Voldemort may has well have been one. "That reminds _me _actually." Sookie spoke then. "I was wondering…what happened to your parents?" Harry had long since abandoned the rest of his meal and was now debating on whether or not to actually tell her this. "They-" he looked at her, though for some reason, it was harder to than just a moment ago. "They were murdered."

Sookie's mouth dropped. "Do they know who did it?" Harry hesitated. "Yes…"

"Are they in prison?"

"Not exactly."

Sookie looked aghast. "Why not! They know who did it, can't they-"

"I'm sorry." Harry interrupted. "But…I really can't say anymore." He felt awful to be holding off information when as far as he knew, she hadn't. but anything else, and he might as well blab out that he was a wizard. Sookie's expression softened. "I-lost my parents too." Harry's stomach churned. He didn't feel entirely comfortable opening up to Sookie when he couldn't do so himself. "They died in a flash flood when I was six." This created an even deeper feeling of regret in him. "You stayed with, your grandmother then?" Sookie nodded, a small smile adorning her face. "Adele Stackhouse was her name. she was a very sweet, kind woman. You would have loved her, and I'm sure she would have loved you too."

"What-happened to her?" Sookie sighed. "She was murdered, almost half a year ago by Renee." Harry wrinkled a brow, puzzled by this answer. "But I thought-"

"Yes, but he didn't know she would be there. Her death was an accident." And it was this, that hurt him the most. Her grandmother's death was by accident. By lucky chance, she could have lived and instead fate dealt her a bad hand, leaving Sookie in this house alone. The two sat in silence for a moment or so. Finally, Sookie took the initiative to speak again. "Now, lets not dwell over sad stuff! Here, you done with your plate?" She stood up, taking her own china in her hand. Harry nodded, a bit full anyhow. Sookie placed the dishes in the sink, just as her front door swung open.

"Sookie!" Harry's head spun to face the voice. A black girl with long black hair in braids stood at the doorway.

"Hey Tara!" Sookie hugged the woman, who was, as her story mentioned, her best friend. "Tara, this is my new friend Harry Black. Sookie motioned to him, to alert her friends attention. Harry, this is Tara Thornton."

"Nice to meet you." Harry stood up from his spot and walked over, holding out his hand. "Oh, a British man? That's new. But hey, we could _always_ use more white people right?" her voice seemed to ooze sarcasm, and he wasn't entirely sure if he should be offended or amused, and quite frankly, he was speechless. "Oh, don't mind Tara, Harry. She's not always so mean." Tara snorted." She has _she_ been?"

**xxx.**

"So you planning on getting a job or just living off your grandparents inheritance money?" Tara remarked.

"Tara!" Sookie's voice was full of disapproval.

"What? It was a simple question." Tara turned back to Harry. "So you gonna give me a simple answer or what?"

"Oh, sorry. Well I never thought about it actually…"

"Inheritance money?"

"Well, I do have an inheritance of sorts but…" Harry began, but was interrupted almost immediately.

"Told you!" Tara shook her head.

"Tara!" Sookie turned from the kitchen sink, where she had returned to and Harry noticed a foamy dish in her hand. Harry frowned. "But hey, I don't plan on just living off of it." he continued. "I just didn't think too forward on getting a job is all." He'd never had a job before. Well not really. Sure, with everything he'd done at the Dursley's from cookie to cleaning until everything was spotless, he figured himself to be alright for a position. "Maybe, if there's room, I could apply to work at Merlottes?" Sookie smiled back at him as she finished cleaning the small pile of dishes in her sink. "That should help out the place a lot. No one's applied to a position for long since the last three employees. All of them killed."

"Three people died?" Sookie nodded. "Yes, my good friend Dawn, my brothers girlfriend Amy, and a woman named Daphne. Maybe the job was cursed. At his old school, the Defense Against the Dark Arts job was. Every professor who applied ended up coming out rough, either dead, or damaged.

"Maybe it's cursed." he voiced.

"Oh, maybe." Sookie replied. "Wouldn't be surprised actually."

"With all the bullshit going on in this town, me neither." Tara came in. "That reminds me-Sookie, I need maintenance to come out today, do you have a phonebook I could use?"

**xxx**

Maybe it had been pure luck maintenance happened to be less busy than usual, but an hour or so after he'd called in, Harry found himself back at his home with Sookie and Tara, watching as they restored necessities to his home. "It's gonna take a bit." They'd informed him, so the three of them headed down to Merlottes, in hopes of getting Harry a position. He walked in after the both of them, looking around the place. "Hey, anyone know where Sam is?" Tara called out to the handful of customers. The place usually didn't fill up till the afternoon or so, according to Sookie, so there'd only be so many people in right now. And whoever happened to be there at the time, said nothing.

"Somebody call me?" Harry turned his attention toward the man with brown hair, and a jean shirt on and faded jeans.

"Yeah, I did." Tara replied. "This boy here needs a job, can he work here? God knows people are tired of working extra shifts."

Sam looked at Harry then. "You new here?"

He nodded. "I came here from England yesterday."

Sam smiled. "Welcome to Louisiana then. Have you worked in a restaurant before?"

"No." he answered. "But, I catch on pretty well. And I have experience with cooking and cleaning." he added quickly.

"Can you display a friendly disposition toward customers at all times?" Harry prepared himself to answer, however, Tara interrupted.

"Please Sam. Do _I_?"

Sam glanced from her to Harry. "You're hired. You'll start tomorrow evening so Sookie, you and him will be working beside each other. Teach him the ropes. I expect excellence from you both." Sam nodded at Harry and turned to head through the back. Harry's heart gave a leap. A day in Bon Temps and so far, things seemed to be working out rather well. Of course, he hadn't forgotten the primary mission. But the fact remained that he still didn't know where or who the vampire sheriff was. Professor McGonagall and the others did inform him that finding him may be a challenge, so simply trying to blend in with the others without giving himself away would be the best thing to do. Harry turned to Sookie, who looked particularly distracted at this point. Her facial expression told him she was thinking about something.

"You okay?"

Sookie jumped a bit. "Me? Oh, yes I'm fine." Though perhaps it was the way she said it that made him doubt her words. "Come on Harry, Tara and I will show you how to do this." Tara gave Sookie a look. "Excuse me? I'm the bartender, not a waitress."

Sookie frowned. "Fine, I'll teach you then."

"If you wanna know how to serve drinks, you come here." Tara said, as Sookie led Harry over toward an empty booth. A thought struck him then. "Hey, where's Bill? You meeting him later?"

Sookie smiled. "Yes. This evening actually." And then the smile was gone.

"What's wrong?"

Sookie said nothing.

"Hey-Sookie! What's wrong?"

**xxx**

_I was supposed to just let you go without knowing. But I don't think that's fair. _

She remembered her conversation with Bill the night they'd gone to Fangtasia about Harry.

_"Maybe it's best you don't tell him **exactly** why we're taking him to a vampire bar." Bill had said, striking confusion in her. "Why not? He deserves to know that two paranoid vampires suspect him of being a murderer."_

_"I never said that." he said_

_"Well you implied it." she responded._

_"I most certainly did not."_

_"So, telling Eric our new arrival might be working with the fellowship, an organization bent on destroying vampires isn't what you suspect of him?" Sookie replied._

_"I was simply trying to help make sure everyone is safe. Especially you."_

_"And I told you there's nothing suspicious about him. Both Renee and Maryann were suspicious by their thoughts alone, but aside form a couple nonsensical words, he sounded about as normal as you and I."_

_"But the fact still remains that he somehow blocked you from his mind. That has never happened with any normal human being."_

_"I know it seems suspicious but I just don't believe that he's evil."_

_"Well, we'll just have to see…"_

"Sookie!" The blonde woman snapped to attention.

"What? Oh, I'm sorry. Got lost in thought I guess."

"It's fine." Harry said. "But, I was wondering if you didn't mind teaching me how to wait now?" He was admittedly rather anxious about his new job, and needless to say, it being his first he didn't really fancy the thought of messing it up.

"Oh! Right okay." Sookie took the time explaining what her job was, waiting tables and listing orders. "Just basic stuff really, you'll slide into it real easy." She pointed out the order wheel, where orders were placed. "You just hang the tickets up there. When Lafayette calls out, you take it to the table. Make sure to smile and act happy, even if you're not, so there won't be any complaints. That could lower your paycheck."

He nodded, making a mental note to control his own emotions better. He'd never really been too good at acting something he wasn't. he recalled a distinct memory in which his acting had resulted in blowing up his uncles sister. "Whose Lafayette by the way?"

"Oh, he's-" she turned back toward the kitchen, however saw no one. "He might be in the back. We could meet him if you'd like? Arlene and Terry'll be around in the evening. You can meet them then." Sookie and Harry headed to the back room, where they found a tall burly man with a white apron wrapped around him. "Hey Lafayette."

The man jumped a bit, turning around quickly. "Damn Sookie, you ain't got to sneak up on me like that!" he sounded quite alarmed, and it showed in his eyes, as though he were expecting something dangerous to jump out at him. Lafayette's eyes then traveled to Harry and a coy smile spread across his lips. "Well well, whose this little snow bunny?"

Harry's eyes widened a bit. "Er-my names Harry Black."

"Lafayette, Harry just got a job here, he'll be working the night shift.."

"Ohh, so you're the new waitress." Harry flushed. "Waiter." he mumbled.

"Not here. All the hostess's here is women, you the new waitress."

"Stop teasing him Lafayette!" Sookie placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Ain't nobody tryin' to upset him." Lafayette remarked, a playful grin on his face. He leaned forward with purpose. "But since you'se a man tryna get tips, I'd suggest wearing tighter jeans to show off that ass." Sookie grasped Harry's shoulders and promptly began to shove him out the door.

"Thanks for the advice." Sookie had grumbled.

"No problem hunny. Hey snow bunny, if you want any _private_ tips, I'd be _happy_ to help."

Harry almost looked back, but thought against it. "He's uh-nice?" Harry had gotten the definite perception he'd just been hit on.

"That's Lafayette for you. I think he might like you." Sookie giggled. "Which could be good or bad I guess."

Harry flushed. "Not funny." He had never really thought about men that way. Then again, he'd never thought much about his own sexuality. So it was odd that he was even pondering on it now.

**xxx**

It was several hours later that Harry and Sookie returned to his new home. Walking inside, he found he now had working lights and when he'd turned on the faucet, running water. "You're house still needs work." Sookie said, noting the rather dusty interior.

"It's not a problem, I could clean it."

Sookie raised a brow. "By yourself?"

He nodded. "Sure, it's a two bedroom upstairs, but the house itself isn't as big as it looks really."

"Still, I could help you straighten up if you'd like."

Harry shook his head. "You don't have to do that."

"But we're practically neighbors now. It's only kind to do so. Besides, my shift doesn't start for another few hours or so, we could get a lot done in that time if we work together."

Harry gave a grateful smile. "Thank you Sookie…"

"Well, come on then, we'll need to get some cleaning supplies, a duster and all that." Harry nodded, checking his back pocket for his wallet before heading out the front door with Sookie in tow.

**xxx**

"Alright, we've got Windex, Ajax, a duster…" Sookie checked off. "And gloves. You ready?" Harry placed the cleaning gloves on as did she. "We should start with the front room, then work our way on to the kitchen and bathroom." She looked around then, as though she'd only just realized. "You need furniture too." She then looked at him. "You must have been in a hurry to get here."

Harry gave a sheepish smile. It probably did look very odd for someone to move in without a van or any sort of furniture. "Yes, I suppose so." He said. "Just, ready to get away really." Sookie nodded, and walked into the kitchen, filling a bucket with soapy water before bringing it back. She unwrapped the mop from its covering and dropped it in the soapy contents. "That reminds me, I never asked, who had you been staying with all these years?" Harry, who had picked up the duster and had only just begun to sweep away a fraction of dirt, glanced back at her.

"My Aunt and Uncle." He tried not to sound so obviously unhappy about such a prospect, however Sookie caught on.

"I'm guessing they weren't so nice then?"

Harry shook his head. "No." he didn't want any pity from her. It sounded rather doleful after all. Poor Harry, parents killed and him brought up by the stereotypical "evil" relatives who hate him. He didn't want pity because throughout his misery, he found something great and he had made very loyal and wonderful friends. Even feeling for once that he had a family. "But it's fine. They were-it was a family difference is all, don't really want to get into it." Sookie seemed to want to say something but thought it over before turning back to the mop and began to clean the floors in silence.

**xxx**

She couldn't help but feel like Harry was hiding something. It wasn't as though she expected him to spill everything about himself to her, after all they'd only just met the previous day. And yet, she couldn't help but to feel a sort of connection with him. As if in a way, they were very similar. Different, but not in a bad way as some seemed to believe. It was this that made her wonder what he was hiding. She was certain it wasn't anything a normal person might refrain from telling, from the thoughts he had blocked the very first night she'd met him, to his random appearance in the first place and his automatic avertness to actually explaining anything really about himself as though going any further would suddenly give away some sort of secret. And perhaps he was withholding a secret. Which of course provoked her to want to pry into his mind. And as if he'd read _hers_, Harry's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Sookie." he said softly. "Why were you trying to read my mind?"

**xxx**

Sookie opened her mouth to respond, but Harry cut in first. "Not now, I didn't feel you doing it today, butt the night when I met you." T

he blonde looked thunderstruck. "Well-you looked unfamiliar, I suppose, after the problems Bon Temps had in the past-I wanted to make sure you were-normal." Harry frowned. "And, am I normal?" Sookie looked at him, a certainty in her eyes. "I think so, as far as normal goes I mean. look at me, I'm a mind reader, that ain't to common." She gave a small smile. "How can you do it though?" Sookie shrugged. "I've always been able to. Since I was a little girl."

"But-"

"How did you block me?" she interposed, as though suddenly remembering.

Harry froze, poker-faced. "I just did. I-" How could he say it without giving anything away.

"How did you know I was reading your mind?" Harry looked away. "Because."

"Because, is not an answer Harry."

"Yes it is." he replied.

"It's not a very good one." she remarked.

"Well, you didn't really _ask_ for a good-"

"Harry!"

"What?"

"Tell me. How did you do it? How did you know? And how did you block me out?"

Harry closed his eyes. "I just-emptied my mind." He said. "From all thought. You can't read a blank mind."

Sookie looked very fascinated with his answer, which only unnerved him more. "But-how did you do it? Have you done this before? Have you met others like me?"

"Look, Sookie." he began, but paused at her crestfallen look.

"Please tell me."

"It's nothing." Harry turned back toward the walls and continued to dust. Sookie however, had now all but abandoned her part. "Harry-"

"Drop it!" He snapped.

"What are you _hiding_?"

"It's none of your business!" Harry threw the duster to the ground and clenched his fist. He couldn't understand Sookie's sudden urgency to know everything about him.

"You have to tell me or-!" She cut off then, as though she'd nearly uttered something she'd never be forgiven for.

"What?" He said curtly.

"If you don't tell me, you could die."

Harry simply looked at her, shell-shocked for a moment. "Are you threatening me?"

"No! it's not a threat, its an immense possibility."

"How so?"

Sookie sucked in a breath. "Because-Bill reported you to Eric."

Harry blinked. "Bill? Your boyfriend? And whose Eric?"

"He's the sheriff." She said. "The-vampire sheriff."

**xxx**

The Head Sheriff. The one he'd been sent to find. Harry's heart seemed to skip a beat. "So-Bill's a vampire then. And he reported me to the sheriff?"

Sookie nodded. "They suspect you could be threat. Whether to human or vampire they were determined to find out."

"But I'm not a threat!" Harry responded hotly.

"And I _believe_ that, but _they_ don't. I worry now that whatever you're keeping secret will affect Eric's decision on whether or not to let you live."

Harry felt as though he'd swallowed a brick. "But then, why do you need to-"

"Eric hired me to spy on suspicious minds." she said.

"So-he wants you to read mine."

"Yes, I think so, but that's why I wanted to know what you might be hiding. If it's nothing that affects them-then I could tell them that for sure-"

"Sookie." He came in. "No."

He hated the thought of anyone prying into his thoughts, especially his most private, but it was forbidden to speak of their world to a muggle. Sookie wasn't supposed to get involved with his mission. He'd been sent, as had his friends to gather up allies in order to fight against Lord Voldemort, to have a fair chance. Whatever Sookie ended up knowing, Harry feared could endanger her life. Something he wasn't about to be responsible for. At long last, the two picked up their items and began to clean the house in silence, all the while tension and anxiety hung in the air, as thoughts of what may or may not occur sat deep in their thoughts.

**xxx**

"Order up!" Harry watched as Sookie held two platters of food in her hands, placing the food down on the proper tables and from what he saw, making certain to smile and at times, using a method that was particularly "dumb-blondish." However, it seemed to give her bigger tips. He supposed that was why she'd also chosen to wear makeup that night. Despite the inviting scenery of Merlottes, Harry was rather anxious and detached as he'd been all evening thus far. Sookie had explained where they were going. A vampire bar named Fangtasia, which sounded rather silly to him, like a failed pun of sorts. Bill was supposed to be arriving soon to take them both. Apparently, it would make them safer. Needless to say, he wasn't all too eager to see him. When he finally did arrive, heads turned, as did Harry's. Bill looked just as pale as he'd remembered, and he kicked himself mentally for not suspecting right away what he was. It seemed so obvious now. Bill walked over to him, standing beside his table.

"Mind if I join you?"

Harry shrugged. "Go ahead."

Bill took a seat opposite him. "I know you must be upset." Bill began. "But I want you to know it's nothing personal."

"Yeah, yeah the fate of Bon Temps may be in danger. I've heard." Harry said, voice oozing sarcasm.

"Well if you're not a threat, we'll know very soon. If you're not, I will gladly extend my sincerest apologies for the accusation."

"Brilliant." Harry muttered, refusing to look at him any further and instead took to glancing at the menu in front of him.

**xxx**

Sookie's shift ended early on request and soon, she, Harry and Bill were driving down the road, Harry leaning in his seat, looking out the window at the darkness. Sookie had clearly wanted to say something to him a few times, but ended up either sighing or suddenly becoming very interested in her outfits neatness. They reached Fangtasia in a matter of minutes and Harry was the last one out the car. "He'll be at the front." Sookie said as they made their way toward a blonde haired woman.

"Sookie, Bill, come to see Eric again? And-" The woman looked his way. She was very beautiful, with full lips and shoulder length flaxen hair. "This must be Harry Black." The woman smiled at him, revealing two sharp teeth revealing what he'd already known. "Names Pam." the vampire woman introduced.

"Nice to meet you." Harry replied, doing his best to be polite.

Pam's eyebrows rose. "Ohh, you have such an adorable accent. And-" she seemed to whiff the air and a gleeful sort of gleam emerged in her eyes. "Well-" Pam seemed to the sake the look from her eyes quickly enough. "Erics inside he'll be waiting for you." With one last smirk, Pam stepped aside, allowing them entry. Not a second after he'd taken a few steps inside did a vampire suddenly approach him, the same look in her eyes that Pam had.

"Hey there, you look at bit young don't you?" She grinned.

Harry hesitated a moment. "I'm-er-almost nineteen."

"What a hot accent. I'm Eva-"

"He's not interested." Sookie's voice interrupted.

The vampire Eva narrowed her catlike eyes. "Wasn't _talking _to you."

"He _isn't_ interested." Bill came in.

"Is he yours?" Eva demanded.

"Excuse me?"Harry said.

Eva's eyes returned to his. "Do you belong to _him_?"

Astonished, Harry was prepared to deny such an assumption. However-

"Yes, he does." Bill answered.

Harry and Sookie both looked at him.

"What?" Sookie jabbed Harry in the side and he cringed.

Eva looked particularly glum at this. "Damnit!"

The vampire sulked off, leaving Harry thunderstruck.

"I-_belong_ to you?"

Bill cleared his throat. "I-it's something we vampires do. We claim humans as our own so others cannot have them." He explained. "Naturally, you aren't actually mine,-I just said so to protect you."

Harry nodded lightly, his mind still a bit puzzled at what just happened. "So-does Sookie belong to you then?"

Sookie blushed. "Well-we shouldn't just stand here anymore!" Sookie said, purposely changing the subject. They made their way past the swarm of vampires and fang-bangers, to the front of the club. There, slack in a throne-like chair was an incredibly handsome man with blonde hair and fair, yet rather pale skin. He had never found himself attracted to another man before, however, in the presence of such an undeniably beautiful creature, it was hard not to feel some sort of magnetism.

"That's him then?" Harry asked softly, almost forgetting his reason for even being there.

"Yes." Sookie responded.

The flaxen haired man looked at them then. His eyes seemed to lock on Harry's and he motioned his hand, summoning them forward.

"So you're Harry." He had a silky, yet serious tone of voice. "Please, take a seat." Harry sat opposite him, and Sookie beside him while Bill took the other side.

"Tell me Harry-what are you motives for being here?"

Harry lookded at Sookie, before glancing back at the sheriff.

"Can't say." The obvious stares coming from the large croward was overbearing. He hadn't expected this.

"And why is that?"

"Too-many, er-people." He mumbled.

"Do you wish us to be alone." Eric asked.

Harry nodded. "Yes, but it's-"

"Leave." Eric suddenly spoke, giving Harry the slight impression that he was talking to him. That was, until he stood from his spot. "I said leave! Everyone out! Fangtasia closes early this evening." The music came to a discreet halt, and a sea of groans and curse words slung across the nightclub. However, as full as it had been, only moments later the final human made their way out the doors, and Pam walked inside, locking them behind her. Eric took a seat. "Now."

Harry again glanced back at Sookie, and Eric of course caught it.

"You seem very concerned with Sookie's presence here as well. Are you not willing to anything even now?"

He said nothing. He could've just said it. However, it was more than just the fact that Sookie would know. In this time, he wasn't sure who may be listening in, even now. If Sookie suddenly knew, he would have put her in unnecessary danger. As unlikely as it was for now that anyone would find him, he just didn't want to take such a risk. He trusted Sookie, he didn't trust anything good could come out of telling her. It was clear Eric had begun to lose patience. "Sookie-"

"She won't read my mind." Harry said, striking Eric's immediate attention.

"Ah yes, I heard. Sookie was blocked from it. But how did you manage that."

"Occlumency." he said, daring to mention his worlds magical art. "What is that?"

"A practice used in order to keep others out of your mind." He answered.

"Why would you need such a practice? Have you had your mind penetrated before?"

"Many times, and I don't fancy having it happen again."

"I'm afraid if you're not going to talk yourself, Sookie will do just that for me." Eric said.

"I think not." Harry replied, his tendency to oppose authority figures revealing itself.

Eric frowned, and leaned toward him, his eyes locking on his. **"It would help me very much if you let Sookie read your thoughts."** Harry's mind began to haze, as though it were attempting to empty itself of it's own accord. But of course, somewhere inside, he was aware it was Eric's doing. He recognized the feeling. Eric was attempting to control him.

("Just let her, it'll be alright.") A voice inside his head said.

("But I said no.") The more determined thought stated.

("Eric will make sure nothing happens.") The tempting voice replied.

("I don't think so. Besides, it's my mind, I should decide who reads it.")

("But-")

"I said no!" This time, the voice burst and departed past his lips, startling everyone of them left in the room.

"How did he-" Pam's voice began.

"You couldn't glamor him." Bill finished.

Eric's eyes narrowed and he seemed to only have eyes for Harry at this point. "What are you?"

"What-am I?" Harry felt a slight fear rise in him, although he did his best to mask it. "I'm a foreigner from Great Britain." he paused, allowing himself to relax a bit, despite begin surrounded by vampires who didn't seem to be at all keen on trusting him.

"Let Sookie see your thoughts. If you truly have nothing to hide, it shouldn't matter much to-"

"Of course it matters!" he snapped, glaring at him now. "How'd you like having someone prod into your mind, reading your private thoughts. My thoughts are kept in my head for a reason." He stood up then, getting alarmed stares from both Bill and Sookie, who'd latched onto his arm to pull him back down. Harry however, tugged away.

"This is not a negotiation." Eric said, his voice exuding impatience. "Pam."

In an instant, Harry found himself pinned to the ground, struggling quite hopelessly against the vampire. "Sookie." Eric waved her forward. "Your powers are heightened with touch is it not? See if that breaks his-barrier." Sookie looked hesitant for a moment before mouthing an apology and placed a hand on either side of his head. Harry could feel the ever intruding prodding of his mind, and although he fought as hard as his will allowed, slowly, he felt his barrier collapse and in a dreading wave of vision, his private thoughts and memories had come to surface.


	4. Visions

**A/N:** So I finally got the next chapter up. I have to say, when I came up with this story, I was hoping people would take the time to read it, but I didn't think I'd get as many as I did. I'm so grateful and happy you all like my story so far. So I hope you continue to read and I'll do my best to keep writing.

Chapter 4-Visions

She hadn't meant to, but Sookie had managed to delve deeper into the boys mind than she thought necessary. Her eyes widened with shock as appalling flashes of memories that were not her own, streamed before her eyes like a rapid flick…

_(You're a wizard Harry, and a thumpin' good one…"_

_I'm a what?")_

As she delved deeper, the memories became more personal, more shocking…

_(A man in a long black cloak stood across from Harry, pale white skin like a vampires, with a face similar to that of a snakes, bald and ruby red eyes the creature held out a long stick that somehow, she knew was a wand and aimed a jet of green light at Harry, who dodged the subconsciously known dangerous jet of light…)_

Flashes before her eyes revealed him as Harry Potter, famous in the wizarding world for defeating a man named Lord Voldemort…or so everyone had thought. Sookie's head began to throb as his intentions, through vision became clear: Harry was sent to find Eric in order to prevent his people from losing the war that was going on. The war hidden from people such as herself. To _save_ people like herself. Visions of death flashes before her eyes:

…._A flash of green light and a woman with fiery red hair protecting an infant-Harry-falls dead to the ground…A boy who couldn't have been any older than seventeen dropped dead on the graveyard floor, silver hues shining no more… A man she knew to be Harry's recently discovered godfather falls into a veil and never resurfaces…An ancient, but kind looking man is thrown full force off of the highest tower…flash. Harry's fighting in the war. Death all around him…_

The deaths of students and adults alike build in her mind. the fascination and horror at every fairytale creature both good and bad seemed to come to life right before her eyes. And then…She released him. Sookie recoiled her hands in disbelief, the pictures she had seen still played in her mind like a never-ending horror flick. She felt sickened by everything she'd witnessed. She barely could comprehend the voice trying to make itself known in the background. The voice everyone else in the room recognized as Eric's. "Well?" Impatience. Sookie opened her mouth and as she did, she could hear the faint sound of Harry's mother screaming. It rang in her ears like an alarm. She covered them, trying to block it out, but the scream continued, following only by more images of death…

_(…A man named Severus Snape is attacked by a vicious snake…he bleeds to death on the dusty ground…A small frail body is carried in by a burly looking man…)_

She didn't notice until too late that Harry had reached out an arm, which he'd done immediately after Pam released him, and grasped onto Sookie's ankle, tugging hard until she slipped from the stairs and fell headfirst, taking her arms too late from her eyes to fully catch herself and hit the ground with a hard thud. He didn't need to look back to know she'd bled from the impact, the predatory gaze from the trio of vampires told him. Bill had gone to Sookie's side, but Harry didn't watch them any further. "Sookie." Eric looked at her and Harry could see annoyance and uncertainty in his eyes.

"I-don't know what I saw-exactly." She said and Harry knew she was lying.

"That's not an-Then ask him yourself." Sookie said, her voice distant. Holding her mouth and cringing from the state of her mind, Sookie and Bill exited the nightclub.

"Pam, if you'll excuse us." Eric's impatient voice triggered Pam to follow his orders without a snide remark. "So." He said, once Pam had left. "What's _another _witch doing wandering around Bon Temps?"

Astonishment raced through him. How did he know? Eric's pale blue hues glared idly. Well it wasn't as though he wouldn't have had to say so anyhow. Regardless of how, he was certain he didn't know why he was there. "Eric." He began. "I came from the wizarding world to come find you. "It's been overrun by a dark wizard by the name of Lord Voldemort. He's outnumbered us. We need help." He paused. "Your assistance is much needed and would greatly benefit the cause." Eric simply stated him down a moment.

"I have already declined one of your kind." Eric stated. "Freaks in masks attempting to get me to join their 'lords' cause." Harry's eyes widened. Death Eaters.

"Voldemorts been here?"

Eric scowled. "Not here to several other places apparently. As I've said, I, nor do any of us have interest whatsoever in your _witch _war." The way he said it! As though wizards were the scum of the earth. He would have expressed great offense had it not been for his need to convert this sheriff to fighting alongside the order.

"It is very important." He spoke, trying yet again. "Voldemort talks of equality amongst purity, vampires and people like me aren't welcome in the world he intends to make. Not just in London. Worldwide. No one wants this war, but we have to defend ourselves. If we cannot win-we will all die."

Eric seemed all but swayed. "I assure you." He said. "I will not be fighting in your war. Nor will anyone else in my town."

Harry opened his mouth to speak, angry and desperate to find words to perhaps sway the stubborn bastard, but found himself waved off in a way that boiled his blood. "Leave, now."

Harry took a step back. "You'll die if you won't help." He said, looking at him eye to eye. Eric smirked.

"Your concern for me is flattering." Harry glared. "Listen-" Eric silenced him yet again. "We're done here. Please leave now. Unless of course you'd quite like an escort? I can't promise you won't wind up dinner but-"

"No thanks." Harry cut him off flatly. He got the distinct feeling this man-if he could call him such, took delight in rousing his temper. Mind, these days it really wasn't too difficult to set him off. Turning on his heel, he began to make his way out of the nightclub.

"He gone?" The beautiful blonde vampire sauntered over to her maker. "Yes." Pam smirked. "I saw you, you know. He smelled appetizing. Virgin isn't he?" Eric nodded. "And a witch." Pam's eyes broadened. "Really? I didn't notice witched had scents."

"I suppose it's only natural witches. Then again, I've met them both. And I despise them thrice over."

"You just never seem to have a pleasant time when they're around." Pam said, clearly amused. Eric bore his fangs in contempt, recollecting the memory of the witches who'd erased his memory not too long ago. "First that Hallow bitch, and now this boy and those other freaks." Pam chuckled. "So what are you going to do? What did he want?"

"The same as the others. Help."

What the hell was he supposed to do now? Eric wasn't going to change his mind. Giving up was sounding better every second. Of course, the mission was to convert allies. But did he really have all the time in the world to try and convert one vampire? Not in his eyes. Why he even needed _this_ despicable one in the first place he hadn't a clue. Only when it was a certainty the pursued allies weren't going to help became very apparent would he be made to leave and relocate. He hadn't gone any further than the parking lot. Although it hadn't just occurred to him that he'd have to walk home, it did only just hit him how long of a walk that would actually be. Heaving a sigh, he prepared to make his way out of Fangtasia territory. However, before he'd truly gotten away from the lot, a shadow loomed behind him. A chill ran down his spine.

"Hey there." The voice was strangely familiar given he hadn't heard it but once. He turned around to face the same young vampire he had earlier with Bill and Sookie.

Eva.

"Where's your owner pet?" Harry looked at her. "He's inside."

"Ohh, I don't think you're telling the truth." She smirked. "And I don't believe you _have _an owner."

"I do."

"Liar, Liar." She giggled and he shuddered. She seemed quite pleased with her "discovery" and Harry could feel dark intentions behind it. Eva's eyes glowed a ravenous silver in the moonlight, her porcelain skin setting off a ghostly appearance. "I can hear your heart. You're nervous." Eva stepped up to him. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you." She placed her hands on either side of his shoulder, pulling him close to her. Silver bore into green. He could feel it yet again. The unmistakable feeling of intrusion. She was attempting to glamour him. But she wasn't nearly as strong as Eric, and therefore…

"It's not going to work." Eva's mouth dropped open in surprise. "Wh-" she stared long and hard. "What's your name?"

"Harry, and I'm still not glamoured." Eva's eyes turned into slits. "You smell different from others. What are you?"

Harry tried to tug away from her. "Let go." Her hands only tightened around his shoulders, making him believe at any moment, they would crack. Harry pressed his hands against her stomach.

"Let-go!" Sparks flew from his hands, shocking the vampire. He wondered why he hadn't tried this earlier with Sookie. Guess he couldn't have thought of anything what with images of murder flashing before your eyes. Eva had howled in pain, and it only registered to him too late. She wrapped a single, cold hand around his throat and slammed him to the concrete. He hissed, his head throbbing with explicit pain. Eva straddled him, pinning his arms to his side. Her teeth had dug just deep enough to leave a slight puncture when he found himself freed from her grasp. Though, not before her fangs sliced a broadish line across the side of his throat right where her mark should have been. He sat up immediately in time to see Eric holding the young vampire in the air by her throat.

"Can't you read?" he squeezed her neck to the point where Harry suspected he might break it. "On our lot…do-not-feed." He tossed her aside as though she were a mere doll. Eva looked up at him, for a moment seeming to consider whether or not she would leave the lot alive tonight. "Leave." Eric hissed and in an instant, she'd fled without a backwards glance. Harry placed a hand to his neck, feeling the sting from Eva's fangs, Blood stained his fingers. He looked up at Eric to see his eyes locked not on him, but on his neck.

"Er-thanks." Harry stood up. He was still rather annoyed at his failure to convert him, but was grateful at his intervention. Eric said nothing at first, and Harry wondered whether or not he was debating on whether he should break his own rule and attack, or simply walk away…

"Do not thank me." he said, finally settling on a solution. "I assure you, had she not been within Fangtasia property, you wouldn't have had me to save you." Stunned, Harry said nothing as the blonde vampire turned from him.

"Whatever." He couldn't have been in a worse mood. He turned as well, but remembering the pain in his neck, which had temporarily taken a back seat, realized it had only gotten worse. "Hey-I need-" He was gone. He cursed silently. He supposed he could drop by the Grabbit Kwik he'd seen back in Bon Temps; if he managed to make it there soon. He severely disliked Eric at this point. Leaving him with an open wound in the middle of a vampire bar lot. "Probably figured I could fix myself up easy." And, technically, if he would have been able, he could have. But he wasn't in a position to do so. Turning to leave again, he groaned at the rising ache in his head. He made his way down the road unsurprised by the lack of traffic.

Had there been no full moon that night, he'd find himself engulfed in darkness. Harry had only just considered apparating back when a light came from ahead. He kept walking. For all he knew, it was some kind of mugger. And he certainly didn't feel like having anymore excitement tonight. The car drove past, and Harry walked on. However, when the car began to back up, his heart pounded in his chest. Perhaps they'd simply forgotten something or they made a wrong turn. These theories were dispersed when the car pulled up beside him. It was a very nice red car with black tinted windows. Naturally, he couldn't see who was inside, threat or otherwise. Needless to say, he wasn't exactly looking forward to the 'man behind the wheel.' As the opaque window lowered a familiar voice sounded in the car:

"Snow Bunny? What the hell is you doin' out here?"

Harry's eyes widened. "Lafayette?" He could help but to feel immense relief. "I kind of-lost my ride I suppose." Lafayette squinted his eyes. Without a doubt, he'd noticed the cut on his neck.

"What happened to _you_?"

"Vampire." He said. "Attacked me on Fangtasia's lot." Lafayette raised a brow.

"What, is you a fang-banger?" Harry scowled. "No I-it's not important anyhow, but I-kind of need to get home-head hurts and this cut-"

"Hey no problem, I'll give you a lift." He had hoped so. "Thank you."

"What, you think I'd leave you here?" Harry managed a small smile. "Hoped not."

"Well get in, I got to make a stop anyway." Harry made his way into the passenger seat, buckled up and leaned back. The car itself was clearly very new. The leather interior was black and rather comfortable. The seats themselves had built in heat, which helped relax his throbbing head a bit. Harry closed his eyes and breathed as he heard the click of the doors locking,. The car turned then, and Harry's eyes shot open.

"Where are we doing?" Lafayette glanced at him. "Fangtasia, gotta make a stop there."

"And you accuse _me_ of fang-banging?"

"Oh don't get it twisted cupcake, I ain't there for pleasure. Strictly business."

"_Right._"Harry chuckled a bit. "You know what-" Lafayette began.

Harry laughed, however that in itself seemed to put stain on his aching neck and head, causing him to flinch. Lafayette frowned. "I'll try to hurry."

"Who are you going to see? There's only Eric and Pam inside, the rest of the club was closed early."

"Well good cause that's all I care to see. Come to think of it, don't care to see them either, but I aint got no choice."

"You know them then?"

"We uh, we definitely acquainted."

Being back at Fangtasia even safely (or as safe as one can be in a vampire bar parking lot) secured in Lafayette's car, brought a chill down his spine, mixed with unmistakable loathing for a certain fanged sheriff. He wondered what it was Lafayette might have needed of either one of them. He just hoped he'd come out soon. The leather seating's heat warmed him up considerably, although outside wasn't too cold anyhow,. Louisiana seemed to possess warm weather all the time. In a random moment, he found himself thinking about Merlottes Bar. He was to be starting work tomorrow evening. Working with Lafayette, Arlene-and Sookie. His fists clenched. Just thinking of her name made him furious, and he could feel the pain of intrusion and betrayal all chalked into one. The thought that she might very well be traumatized by what she'd seen was his only consolation. He wasn't too sure if he'd be able to work there now, but a part of him knew he needed the money.

Still, he needed furniture and kitchen supplies as well as loo essentials. He figured tomorrow morning he'd start bargain shopping with the money he'd managed to get of course, he and been able to go to Gringotts, being on the run really limits where you can go, after all. Lucky he wasn't much of an extravagant shopper. Hell, he was barely one at all. In what seemed like minutes since he'd drifted into his own thoughts, Lafayette had finally returned from his 'meeting.' "Thank god that's over." Harry looked over at the man beside him with lipgloss and sparkly eyeshadow. "I take it you're not too comfortable with them?"

"That obvious?" Harry nodded. He didn't blame him of course. It wasn't as though Eric was someone anyone who didn't happen to be a vampire…or perhaps Sookie could feel even remotely comfortable with. "Alright, well lets get you something for your cut."

They arrived Bon Temps around 1:30am. Instead of driving him home, Lafayette made a direct route to his house. Harry, finding himself to be more worn out than he'd originally thought, did not protest to this. Harry stepped out of the car, into Lafayette's driveway, and headed up to the door. He waited for Lafayette to open the door and head in first before he followed suit. The place had a distinct, light smell of marijuana and incents. He settled himself into a comfortable chair, and relaxed. Lafayette exited the living room and returned with a bottle of pills, Band-Aids, a wet towel, a cup of water and some Neosporin.

"The cut aint deep enough for stitches, thank god." Lafayette leaned down and handed Harry the water, setting down the other items except the pills, which turned out to be aspirin. "Take these, it'll help the headache." Harry didn't hesitate, and popped a pill before downing it with the cold fluid. He then felt something warm against his wounded cheek. The towel. It stung a bit, but feeling the Neosporin Lafayette then placed on it made it feel a bit better. The white bandage was then place securely over the cut and by then, his headache was slowly beginning to subside. "If you want, I can take you home but you's welcome to stay here tonight." Harry managed a small, grateful smile.

"Thank you." A strange, rumbling noise sounded then, and it took him a few moments to realize it was his stomach. He hadn't eaten since noon and Harry cursed his own stupidity for not eating then.

"I got some leftover stew in the kitchen, you want a bowl?"

Harry nodded and made to stand up.

"Oh don't bother, I'll get it."

"No Lafayette, it's fine I-"

"What I say? Sit."

Harry sighed and retained his seat. When Lafayette returned, it was with a delicious smelling crab stew on a dinner table. The smell was intoxicating to him and Harry had dug in the instant he could.

"Damn, you's hungry, you been starving or something?"

Harry swallowed a mouthful. "Oh, hadn't eaten since noon."

Lafayette took a seat opposite him. "Don't answer if you don't feel like it but-what was you doin' over at Fangtasia?"

Harry paused, his spoon full of stew, inches from his mouth. "Oh." He placed the spoon down, back into the bowl. "Sookie and Bill took me. Apparently, Bill thought I might be a threat or something. "Lafayette gave him a look. "Like he's one to talk." Harry shrugged.

"So-if they brought you, where were they when you left?"

"They'd already taken off. Home, I expect." Harry replied.

Lafayette looked shocked. They left you there?" Harry shrugged again. Not that Lafayette knew it, but Harry would have rather walked than be in the car with them anyhow. "Hey Lafayette?"

"Hm?"

"Was wondering, I don't have any furniture in the house and really not enough money to pay people to help me move stuff in. "You wanted my help?"

"If you didn't mind."

"Alright, I can squeeze time in, Get Jason and Hoy to help too, if you want."

"That would be great, thank you."

**AUTHORS NOTE:** Alright, so I tried my best on this chapter, and typing it up since it's been so long since my last chapter. I'll try to update as much as possible and I only hope you all enjoy and keep reading. Your reviews and messages are inspiring to me. Thanks to everyone! :D


	5. Unwanted Company

**A/N:** Okay so this took me a long time to publish. I might make some changes to it later, because I'm not 100% happy with it, but I hope it doesn't suck too hard. x.x

Extra Note: If some of the paragraphs come out wrong, I apologize. I think fanfiction hates me. Even when I try to start new sentences, at times it just clumps them together anyway.

xxx

**Chapter Five:**

Unwanted Company

**xxx**

"He won't help."

"Well of course you can't expect him too!"

Harry was flabbergasted. "What the hell am I here for th-"

"Harry, I mean you can't expect them to up and fight just because we _ask _them too. Especially with vampires, they've never been too fond of our kind, you know that."

A pause.

"Don't get all tetchy with me now. It's true. With vampires…well wizards like us would help in an instant if it meant stopping Voldemort because we know his power and we're scared and ready to fight. But for vampires like Eric, who have probably never heard of our world or Voldemort, wouldn't take the slightest interest in us or our war."

Harry fumed. "Well you'd think he'd care about saving his and his kinds existence!"

"Harry, you didn't tell him his life was at stake did you?"

Pause.

"Harry!"

"I've never done this before! You'd think vampire or not, they'd care at least a little bit about what could happen to them!"

"Vampires aren't like humans Harry. As much as you might think, they don't have the same mindset. I'm sure an old vampire such as Eric isn't the least bit intimidated by our war, or the one behind it. He's probably been in wars before."

"If you know so much-"

"Don't start, Harry. Why don't you try a different approach?"

"Oh like what? Sorry I told you the truth before. If you help, I'll give you an unlimited amount of _blood_."

Hermione scowled through the mirror shard. "Well to be honest Harry, it's your own fault."

Harry prepared to argue-

"You should have taken a different approach. Like perhaps pretending to be an ordinary person, even if he'd know you were a wizard, that doesn't mean you couldn't come to Bon Temps seeking employment. Perhaps you're an avid supporter of vampire rights and have worked with vampires before?"

Harry thought about that for a split second. And that…wouldn't have been a bad idea. "Too late now though."

"I don't think so."

"Meaning?"

"Well, maybe you could work for him for a while."

"Excuse me?"

"You know, ask for employment. I think it would help out the mission. That way, you may find out what he's interested in, what you could do for him in return for his service to the war."

"He knows what I want now, beating around the bush isn't going to help."

"You haven't even_ tried _Harry." Hermione stated.

"And besides, I already have a job. I'm working at Merlottes. Or I will be. Starting tonight."

Hermione seemed to ponder this a moment. "Well, still another job couldn't hurt. The more money the merrier. And just remember to limit your magic use. Voldemort has spread to the states and we don't know whose on his side, or how far the American Ministry of Magic has been taken over. They may be tracking apparation as well."

"I know that, so I'm stuck doing things the muggle way. For the most part at least."

"Well good, at least you and Ron both can learn to do stuff without waving your wands around all the time. Perhaps if you learned to drive as well."

"What?"

"You can't just ride around on a broom Harry!"

Harry heaved a sigh, remembering the firebolt he'd had, now which lay somewhere deep in the bottom of the ocean.

Hermione sighed. "You'll do fine…how are you, still hurting?" Harry had informed her of the previous nights events.

"No, I'm alright. How-is your mission anyhow?"

"It's coming along. I just hope you and Ron do well. I'm worried about Hogwarts, and the others we left behind."

"Me too."

He thought of Ginny, who he'd been forced to break up with back in his sixth year, a little over two years before. It had been for the best of course, and he only hoped she was faring well. He also thought of Luna, Neville and the rest of the Weasley family and only hoped they were all well. After Hermione had gone, Harry placed the shard back inside his bag. Lafayette had dropped him off earlier that morning, and now he found himself alone. His thoughts switched to Sookie, the first person he'd considered a friend and found himself disgusted that he even had her on his mind. He didn't know many people at all. Just her and Lafayette really. But he wasn't going to crowd the only person he trusted at this point. He glanced around his still empty bedroom, aside of course, from his plush purple mattress. Perhaps two jobs wouldn't be such a bad idea. The only trouble lie in Eric agreeing to employ him. From what he'd managed to learn back at school, vampires loved as much as loathed witches. They took great interest in what their magic could do for them, while at the same time, hardly trusted them.

As Eric was already aware of his _otherworldly_ powers, there was really no need to explain, or to pretend he _hadn't _come for help. On the thought of jobs, he needed his Merlottes uniform. He sighed and began to make his way down the steps, not bothering to grab a jacket, as the walk to be long in the heat. Just as he stepped outside, a yellow Volvo pulled up into his driveway. His eyes narrowed; Sookie. He felt his lips purse. The car parked and out stepped the blonde, holding a package in her hand. Her face was solemn, yet full of determination. Harry stayed rooted to his porch. Sookie took several steps forward.

"I-brought your uniform Harry."

"I could have gotten it myself." He replied coldly.

"Don't be silly, the walk would have been too long."

"Maybe I like walking." He didn't want to see her. He was sure her bringing his uniform was an excuse to talk; to apologize. And of course…

"I don't accept."

Sookie's brows wrinkled. "Harry-"

"Leave."

Sookie took another step forward. "I'm sorry I looked alright?"

"I bet you are, multiple deaths isn't something anyone wants to see." He snapped.

She flinched.

"Don't act like you had to live it." Finally he stepped off his porch and snatched the package from her hands. He stood eye to eye with her.

"I can help you." She said.

"I don't want your help." He turned away from her then.

"You _need_ my help!"

"I don't," His foot had only just started up the first step when a hand placed itself on his shoulder. "You _do_, I know what you need to-"

"Because you _broke _into my mind!" He dropped the package and whirled around to face her, eyes blazing in fury. "You had no right! I don't _want_ your help! You-" A porch light on his right shattered and he swore loudly as Sookie's mouth dropped. "Great." he muttered, noticing then, the lights in his house had flashed on and off in his own temperament, and he found himself glad, even in his annoyance at the woman that she didn't now resemble a great balloon.

"Just go."

The blonde stood there a few moments before slowly stepping back. She mumbled something unintelligible before departing. Harry picked up his boxed uniform and headed inside. The lights had flickered and died out again. He hoped he hadn't managed to break anything else. He wondered if his lack of magic output had something to do with it, but shook his head. No, students under seventeen couldn't use magic outside of school and yet they've managed fine. It was just him. Hermione and the others that warned him to control his temper, but it was rather difficult these days. You really couldn't trust as easily and when he'd done so, he got screwed over.

And now, she claimed to want to help him? Even if it was true (and he wasn't inclined to believe so at the moment), The last thing he wanted was to put more people in danger. Sookie, being a muggle could help about as much as Dudley Dursley with healthy eating habits.

**xxx**

He headed up the stairs once again and when he re-entered the room, placed the box in the closet amongst his other belongings. His job at Merlottes was settled, now he needed to focus on employment at Fangtasia. Hermione was right incidentally, it would get him as close as possible to the sheriff and perhaps offer him information on how to convince him to join the cause. As they'd been told, going straight to the king or queen certainly wouldn't be the best idea. A sheriff at the very least should be informed first and foremost. This way, Harry wouldn't be a suspicious intruder on vampire royalty territory. But if Eric wouldn't comply, it was very likely the queen wouldn't. He supposed with his house essentials done as far as water and electricity, he could install a phone. It would be the first time able to use one freely. Or perhaps a cell phone. It could cost less…He shook his head. Bon Temps was such a small town, they didn't even have bus transportation; Which was rather inconvenient for him. He wondered if he might be able to use the Floo Network. Of course, if apparation was out, than surely the networks were being watched.

The closest store to him was Grabbit Kwik he supposed he'd go there later (try and find some way to store it all). He found he could use his expandable bad. He'd simply use that to walk there and back. Brilliant. He opened his closet door again, and pulled out his bag. Peering inside, he saw various amounts of potions, books and other objects scattered about. He carefully placed them all on the top and bottom shelf of the closet before zipping the bag and threw it over his shoulder. He pocketed just enough American dollars and headed out the door, downstairs and out into the sunlight. Harry headed down the near empty streets of Bon Temps, passing by several parked cars and chained dogs on their porches. By the time he'd reached around Sookie's neighborhood, he needed a drink. Honestly, he should have been used to this type of weather.

It came around at least every summer in Privet Drive, where he'd been stuck in the lawn doing yard work He should have brought a bottled water. Really, he hadn't thought of it, his mind had been somewhere else entirely. He continued on down the road around fifteen or so minutes before reaching the store. Grabbit Kwik had on an old worn out sign, painted carelessly white with red block letters. The store itself was small and stuffy with non-brand food and drink. The coldest area was over by the freezer and fridge where bottles of true blood made itself apparent. He stood by the cold area for a bit, before moving away, picking up a small cart and began seeking out items: bread, eggs, ham, milk for breakfast, cookies, vanilla and raspberry ice cream, a packet of water and dinner items before placing them in a couple of the small carts and headed over to the front counter.

"This everything?" the man at the counter grunted.

"Yeah."

He pulled out a wad of cash. The man rang up the items, placing them in plastic bags before turning back to him.

"That'll be one hundred even, kid."

Harry hadn't him several twenties and a ten, picked up the bags, and headed out. He made sure to hide himself from sight, before setting down his bag, and placing plastic ones inside it one by one. The one with eggs and bread lay on top and he'd made sure to pull out a bottle of water before re-zipping and placing the bag over his shoulder again. The bag itself felt no different than it had before, as he expected. Harry opened the water and chugged down half before heading back down the road toward his home.

**xxx**

Evening had come around sooner than expected, and already Harry found himself dressed in uniform, heading out the door for work. He'd done his best to flatten his hair, trying to make himself more presentable, but of course, his hair didn't comply. Just as he'd begun to head back down the gravel road, the yellow Volvo he didn't want in his driveway pulled up beside him. Sookie, dressed in her uniform, shorts barely past her hips, stood outside the car door.

"Harry-"

"What are you-"

"No time, you don't want to be late do you?"

"I don't need-"

"Just get in, or we'll both be late."

"I don't-" he stopped and sighed heavily.

He didn't want to accept help from her, knew he should have left earlier, but was now stuck with the option of simply taking the ride, or losing the job before he even started. "Fine." he slid in the passenger seat and buckled up. Sookie sat back inside, placing her own belt on and backed out of the driveway. She said nothing to him until they reached the bar. After she parked, she turned to him just as he was unbuckling his seatbelt.

"I didn't want you walking alone, it's dark."

Harry snorted. "Oh, but that was no problem to you yesterday was it?"

Sookie blanched.

"I didn't-"

"-Think?" Harry finished.

"I didn't _think_, you'd want my help."

"We'll you'd be right, I didn't."

"But Lafayette told me-"

Harry frowned and she caught it.

"-Well, it slipped from his mind-"

Harry glared.

"I didn't break in! Sometimes it happens!"

Harry continued to glare and she sighed.

"You were attacked." she sounded regretful.

"How did you survive?"

"Eric." he said simply. Sookie looked surprised.

"Him?"

"Well I was attacked on Fangtasia property, he couldn't have that." Sookie frowned then.

"I should've known."

Harry didn't want to have this conversation with her. He certainly hadn't forgiven her and this talk seemed to be heading in that direction.

"Sookie-"

"I know you probably hate me, but I told you-I can help."

"I really don't need you-" He began.

"I think you do." She cut off. "You need to see Eric about something, your world is in trouble."

Harry frowned. "You need Eric's help for something, I can help you."

He didn't want her help.

"Thanks-." He began bitterly. "But-"

"-Don't be stubborn." she cut him off again. "I can do _something_."

Harry stared at her for a good long moment before speaking. "Do you really want to help?"

She nodded.

"Then get Eric to hire me at Fangtasia."

Her blonde brows raised. "You want to work there?"

He nodded.

"Why-"

"Can you help or not?" he snapped.

"Well, I think I can get him to."

"Good, tonight then." She nodded.

"We'd better head inside."

He and Sookie walked inside Merlottes. The place was filled with people, laughter and drunks singing songs. Lafayette was visible cooking fish and steak. A redhead girl who looked not much younger than him was passing out drinks.

"That's Jessica, Bill's er-daughter." Sookie said. Harry stared at the girl. She had pale white skin, fiery red hair and a beautiful smile. Oddly enough, she reminded him of Ginny.

"She's a vampire then." Which was obvious enough.

"Yes. And that's-" she pointed to another unnatural redhead-is Arlene."

Harry glanced over at the older woman, she had a strained smile on her face as she asked for a groups order.

"Over there is terry, he's kind of-on edge, he suffers from PTSD, so it's best not to shock him much."

Harry turned his attention then to the middle aged man in the back, who looked as though a sudden attack might be upon him.

"You know Lafayette and Tara."

She nodded over toward the bar where her best friend was mixing drinks. "You'll be taking orders with Jessica, Arlene and I."

Harry nodded, and followed Sookie to the back to Sam's office.

"We're here." Sam looked up from his desk.

"Oh, hey Sook, Harry. How do you feel?"

"Fine I suppose."

He did feel a bit nervous of course, but he swallowed the feeling.

"You're not old enough to serve drinks-just let Sookie know if that order comes up and she'll do it for you. Other than that, I'll let her show you how to do things."

Sookie and Harry exited Sam's office and headed back into the bar.

"Okay Harry, so just make sure to smile, no matter what, be friendly, listen to the customer, take their order, go get the order, serve it, and make sure they have everything they need. Also make sure to pick up plates for washing."

He nodded yet again.

"Because you're new, you need to wear a nametag. Sam is making one for you now."

She took a look at his hair, and promptly reached out to no doubt try and flatten it. Harry took a step back.

"It wont work, my hair is always like this."

"Then you've had the wrong type of gel." She replied,.

"I can fix it for you if you want."

"It's fine."

"Well if you ever-"

"-I should get my nametag." He cut off.

Without looking back, he headed back toward Sam's office.

**xxx**

He knocked before entering and peeked in just as Sam had apparently finished his tag.

"Oh there you are. I've finished your tag."

He held it out and Harry stepped forward, took it and placed it on the right side of his shirt.

"Perfect. Good luck tonight, make lots of tips!"

Harry smiled slightly before heading out of the office once more.

xxx

**A/N:** The next chapter should be up fairly soon. If you have faith in my story, please continue reading! your reviews always make me happy! I enjoy constructive criticism as well, it helps me out a lot!


	6. Memory

**A/N: **Alright so it took SO MUCH longer than I thought to put another chapter up, but forgive me please, for my awful college and work life prevent me from updating too often. However, now that school and finals are over, I'll be able to focus A LOT MORE. Again, so sorry for the sudden disappearance but I have NOT given up on this story so I hope you guys haven't either! Wow, 9 months…

And now, for _Ruthless._ Thank you for your patience everyone! I would like to give a word of thanks to **ceres51892**, who I notice pretty much frequently reviews and lets me know what she thinks. I just thought I'd give a shout out to her. And a shout out to EVERYONE ELSE who is reading this, I never thought I'd have this many reviews at all, so I'm happy people enjoy my story!

Also, keep in mind that although Polyjuice Potion doesn't exactly work the way I present it in this chapter, that I thought it would be interesting to the storyline, so I do hope no one is bothered by it.

Anyway, enough of my blabbering, I give you chapter six! :D

**xxx**

Chapter Six-Memory

"Your names Harry then?" The brunette woman smiled politely. "Well you're doing a wonderful job Harry and your accent is lovely."

"Thank you." He gave the woman another smile before gathering up the empty plates and headed back to the kitchens. Only twice did he need to call upon Sookie for help when it came to alcohol. It was silly really; at least to him. In England, it was perfectly legal to drink at sixteen in a household and seventeen in the wizarding world freely. Yet until he was twenty-one here, he couldn't touch a drink. Not that he drank much anyway, he preferred butterbeer over Firewhisky any day. As it was his first day, his shift ended at 11:00pm so he found himself waiting an hour or so before Sookie got off.

"You ready?" She asked, pulling down her hair from it's ponytail. He watched as it fell like a fair waterfall down her shoulders.

"Yes."

**xxx**

"They're back." Pam's full cherry lips pursed in annoyance.

"Who?" Eric looked up from his table.

"Three guesses." Eric whiffed the scent in the air; and wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"No need."

The two wizards in the odd skull masks shuffled rather hurriedly past the crowd of vampires, wands in their robes. "Eric Northman."

"So-back again?"

"Have you changed your mind on joining our Lord?"

"No. I have no interest in your affairs, I thought I made that clear before."

Only the bottom half of their faces were visible, but it was clearly they were sneering.

"Are you positive?" Came the raspy death eaters voice from the left.

"Oh, I couldn't be more sure."

"Pity, we could have used you." The one on the right replied.

"That-right there, is the problem. I'm not up for _use._"

"Hapless pride." The two left the scene as quickly as they'd come, though something about their exit had finality in it, leaving Eric with a sense of guardedness he hadn't experienced since the last Witch War.

**xxx**

They arrived in Shreveport a little less than an hour later. Harry was the last out the car, and he scanned the area as though looking for rogue vampires. "There's nothing to worry about, Pam's over there. She's certainly not going to let any vampire drain you on their property."

"Yeah, thanks I feel much better." He replied sarcastically. The two made their way up toward the bars front where Pam stood, skin glowing in the midnight. "Ah, the witch is back."

Pam shook her head a bit. "Third one today."

Harry's eyes widened. "Third?"

Pam shrugged. "Yeah, those masked ones came back-"

Harry jolted. "When?" He demanded and Pam raised a brow.

"A little over an hour ago." Harry's heart raced. He imagined having arrived when they'd been there. A dangerous coincidence.

"What did they want?" He asked them, trying to keep calm.

"Do you want in or not?" Pam said, raising a brow.

Harry sighed. "Just-is Eric here?"

Pam smiled. "Come back to see him; did you miss him after all?"

Harry snorted. _Not bloody likely. _

"Well then, go on in. Eric will be at the table in the far back, mingling with the blood bags."

**xxx**

Harry and Sookie headed toward the back. "Do you know these masked people she was talking about?"

"You should know, you saw them." Harry responded curtly. Sookie seemed lost in thought for a few moments before it apparently came to her: "Those-Death Eaters?" Harry nodded quickly. "But-what-" Harry tuned her out the moment they reached Eric's table. The tall vampire glanced up at them.

"Sookie, what a wonderful surprise." He then noted Harry's presence. "Missed me already?"

Harry scowled.

"He's looking for employment here Eric." Sookie spoke up.

"Could we maybe discuss this somewhere else?" Harry said, looking pointedly at the muggles eying them curiously. Eric stood, but not before politely excusing himself, much to the obvious annoyance of the muggle girls in general, who openly glared at both him and Sookie. Eric led the two of them toward the back room.

"Now, what is this about employment? You do realize I haven't forgotten our little conversation the previous night?"

"I do, but-"

"But, he could really use a job all the same Eric. With him being new at Merlotte's there's no way he's gonna get enough hours to live here for too long. Two jobs would be ideal."

"Does he have an ideal plan on how to get from Bon Temps to Shreveport every day?"

Harry smacked himself mentally. Of course! He didn't have transportation.

"I-can find a way." He responded.

"I could bring him the first day if-"

"Sookie-no." Harry cut her off. "I don't want you to constantly be taking me everywhere. I _am_ capable of doing things by myself."

"I never said you weren't." She replied, a determined look in her eyes. "But I want to help you alright? It's not a problem really. I'll ask Sam for the day off, I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Gives me time to take you here and sleep later on."

He wasn't thrilled about the idea. He figured if he took a driving test as Hermione had suggested, he could buy a car around town somewhere.

"Does he have the job Eric? I do believe you need a few extra humans anyhow."

"What's in it for me?" Eric replied.

"The knowledge that you helped someone in need of a hand." She responded with a small frown.

"Is that ever good enough for me Sookie?"

"It's gonna have to be _Eric_. Besides, all the favors I've done for you in the past, you can't just do this one free?"

"Nothing's free in this life."

"Fine-how about…the next mission you decide to send me on, I'll do for free."

"I was kind of hoping for something more-_physical_, but I suppose saving money can be just as good." He smirked.

Harry honestly didn't feel comfortable with the vampires less than subtle flirting, and Sookie's obvious embarrassment and aversion to his comment. He cleared his throat a bit, and the two glanced back over to him.

"So when does he start?"

"Today's Thursday so let's say…next Thursday morning. His shifts will start off with four hours. I'll have Ginger teach you the basics and you can learn from there."

"Thanks so much for this Eric, you won't regret it."

"Oh I'm sure I will." With that, the Viking swept past them, and without a glance, headed out the door.

**xxx**

"You really didn't have to offer to take me you know."

"I wanted to. Besides, you don't have any other way. I have an old drivers manual in the house somewhere. I can lend it to you and teach you to drive myself. That way you won't have to waste too much time on classes."

Harry's mouth dropped a bit. "Sookie, no-"

"Why not? I'm not _that_ bad a driver I'm sure."

"No, I just-"

"I know…you're probably not too keen on me much now, but I am trying to help you."

"Why? You made a clear point you weren't trying to help me the other night. You told me before you like the quiet. I know that means you don't particularly like being able to hear people in your head all the time. You didn't have to look. You knew it wasn't right to force me, and after you said you _believed_ I wasn't a danger-"

"Vampires aren't exactly like us Harry." Sookie came in. "I wanted to believe they were once, but I've been through too much to think that anymore. It doesn't matter what I believe, it's what I can prove."

"But you didn't tell him _anything. _You looked, and then said nothing. What did you prove? Only that I can't trust you."

"I didn't know what I saw-"

"Liar."

"Can we not talk about this anymore?"

"Why the hell not? You're so _determined _to help me-"

"I'm trying to make amends."

"I don't want to make amends."

"Harry, just-"

"Look, I don't think I would have gotten the job at Fangtasia if it weren't for you, so I thank you for that, but I just don't think we should talk anymore."

For Harry, he'd always based his relationships on trust and loyalty. In his eyes, she'd broken that. Perhaps she was never truly loyal with him as they'd only just met not too long ago, but he'd certainly trusted her enough anyhow.

"I'm sure I can find a way on my own."

They were pulling into his driveway now.

"Harry, please just let me-"

He'd unbuckled his seat-belt as she parked. "Thanks for the ride." He opened the car door, and stepped out.

Sookie's yellow Volvo sat in the driveway for a moment longer. As though she were pondering on whether or not to get out and speak to him. Finally, as he stood on his porch, he could see the bright headlights of the car slowly fade, and she was gone.

**xxx**

"_Look at him, he's growing like a weed isn't he?" Andromeda smiled brightly at the green haired toddler in her lap. Harry found himself beaming as Teddy Lupin squeezed his little fists and bounced in his grandmothers lap, his silver eyes on his godfather. "Harry?" The emerald eyed man grasped the tiny hands in his own, and gave them a gentle squeeze. _

"_So you'll need a hair growing tonic then?" Andromeda asked, her eyes still haven't left her grandsons. _

"_Yes. As Teddy's the only Metamorphagus I know now since Tonks…" _

_The two sat in silence for a moment. The only sound that could be heard was Teddy's incoherent babbles as he stared up at Harry. _

"_Teddy, do you want to help your godfather?" _

_Teddy only gave a wide smile, showing several baby teeth. _

"_I'll take that as a yes." Harry grinned. _

_Andromeda pulled out a vial which he could only believe was the hair tonic. _

"_He's very young so only a bit on the ends will do." She ran the bright colored tonic across Teddy's edges until they were very damp. Harry watched with inquisitiveness as his godsons forest green locks quickly began to grow from a headful of hair, to a full grown mane, down to his waist and past his feet. Only when Andromeda removed another bottle from her pocket and rubbed it upon his head did the hair finally stop growing. With a pair of scissors, Harry carefully cut Teddy's hair until it reached just above his ear. _

"_I'll be giving him a proper haircut later on." She announced. _

_Harry wrapped the fine green locks around his wrist until it was neatly folded. He then wrapped a black band around it to keep it neat. _

"_So you're going to use this in order to disguise yourself then?" _

"_I think, when it's necessary, I should do so yes. I'll be taking it with me to America."_

"_Be safe Harry." _

**xxx**

**A/N: **Let me make this clear. That last part was a memory. It's already happened. Also, sorry if the cutoff kind of seems choppy. I'm really trying to get back into the groove of this story so I hope it's not too bad. Hopefully, I'll have more updates soon. X3


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